Tube cleaner



F. w. LINAKER AND T. M. BRUBACK.

TU BE CLEANER.

APPLICAHON FILED JULY 26.1919.

2 SHEETS- T l- INVENTOR .MT Sitar FREDERICK VJ. LINAKER AND THEODORE III. IBR'UBACK, 0.? DUEOIS, PENNSYLVANIA.

TUBE CLEANER.

i Application filed July 26,

Tonll whom it concern: 7

Be t known that we, FREDERICK W. LINAKER and THEODORE N. BRUBACK, the "17" 1- i former a sub ect of the king or (IPQQL Britaln and the latter a citizen of the United States of America, both residing inDubois, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lubc- Cleaners, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to improvements in tube cleaners for boilers or the like, being especially applicable to boilers of the vertical water tube type, and aims to provide improvements therein. I

Thepresent invention provides a cleaner element, which may be inserted into and withdrawn'from the interior of the boiler setting, through the boiler wall. E lie inven tion further f provides an improved jgnide and support for the outer end of'tlie cleaner element, especially in its withdrawnposition.

The invention further provides improved means for attaching and supporting a cleaner element upon a curved or. circular boiler wall',in such manner that the cleaner element, especially a cleaner element which slides through an opening to and from the interior of the boiler setting, may be readily made to register with the space between rows of tubes;

Other features of improvement will be hereinafter set forth. e I Anembodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, 7 igure 1 is a' verticalsectional view illustratingthe invention applied to a vertical water tube boiler. V V I Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3" is an enlarged detail" sectional view, and v v Fig. 4"is a sectional view on the IVIV, Fig. 3.

In said drawings, numeral 1 desi'y rates a tubular cleaner element provided 3 ith jet forming orifices or nozzles 2.

Numeral a designates a connection be); or steam box for supporting said tubular element. The clcanerelement 1 ispreferline Y ably slidable in said box, through an opening- 6 in the boiler wall: intoand from the interior of the boiler setting. To this end the box st is conveniently provided with a chamber 7 receiving cleaning fluid, prefer- Specification'of Letters rat-exit.

Patented Main 28, 1922.

1919. Serial no. 313,550.

ably steam, through a pipe 8, and connecting with the interior of the cleaner element, when in inserted or working position, through one or more openings 9. A leak tight sliding connection 11 of ordinary construction, is provided between thctubular element and the box 4 at one end of the chamber 7, a gland 13 being provided between the tubular element 1 and the box 1 at the other end of the chamber 7.

Means are preferably provided for; supporting the tubular cleaner element when withdrawn, and also preferably during withdrawal. These means conveniently comprise a rod 15 entering and sliding upon the tubular element. A suitable leak tight sliding connection 17, such as a stui'iing box, is provided between the guide rod 15 and the element 1. A hub 19 is conveniently formed by .a recess in said hub, a plate or part 20 being adapted to be drawn against sa'id'hub by belts or the like 21 and compress the packing atlY. The hub 19 is also preferably provided with a hand Wheel or the like for manipulating s'aidcleaner element, that is for rotating said cleaner elementand also for inserting the cleaner element into and withdrawing it from the interior of the boiler setting.

The 'rod 15 is conveniently supported by a bent arm '25 attached to the cleaning fluid supply pipe 8.

Where a boiler setting is providedxwith covers or door-s29, Fig. l, which have flat faces perpendicular to the interval between the tubes, the box l may be attached directly to said cover or door 29, as indicated in Fig. r Where, however, an opening is provided in the circularor curved wall of the boiler for thecleaner pipe, there is preferably provided supporting and attaching means 31 fixed upon the end of the tubular element- 1, and the stufling box is conveniently of the present invention; an embodiment of tubes. By turning the box 3 upon its pivotal axis to a slight degree, the cleaner element may' be inserted and withdrawn 1n theinterval between the rows of tubes, parallelly to the row of tubes, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

In order to provide for the spacing of the tubular element within the interval between the rows of tubes,'so that, when parallel, it may also be substantially midway between the rows of tubes, the plate 35 is conveniently provided with elongated horizontal slots 38, Fig. 4, through which bolts 40, uniting the box 3 to the plate, pass. By these means the box'g may be shifted laterally and fastened upon the plate 35, in such manner as to bring it to the desired position, preferably midway, betweenthe rows of tubes.

In order to prevent leakage of air into the interior of the boiler setting through the box 31 and opening 6, a cover plate 42 is preferably provided, which fits closely around the box 4, and which when fastened in place, prevents all but a very small amount of air leakage into the interior of the'boiler setting. This plate is positioned and applied after the other parts have been assembled and adjusted to bring the cleaner tube properly into a space between the rows of tubes. j The inventive ideas herein set forth may be expressed in other embodiments of the invention than those herein specifically illustrated and described.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A boiler tube cleaner, comprising a tubular cleaner element, passing through the wall of the boiler furnace, a box in which said element is longitudinally slidable, and from which it emerges externally, a leaktight sliding connection between said element and said box, and a guide for said tubular element comprising a stationary rod entering said tubular element and upon which it slides telescopically, with a leaktight sliding connection between said rod and element. j

2. A tube cleaner according to claim 1, with an operating handle on the outer end of said tubular element beyond said box by which to slide the element longitudinally. A

tube cleaner according to claim 1, with a fixed support for the outer end of the guide rod.

4. A tube cleaner according to claim 1, with a cleaning fluid supply pipe communicating with said tubular element through said box, and an arm attached to said pipe forming a support for said guide rod.

5. A'boiler tube cleaner, comprising a tubular cleaner element, passing through the wall of the boiler furnace, a box in which said cleaner element is longitudinally slidable, and a guide for said. tubular element,

said guide comprising a rod entering said tubular element and upon which it slides,

and a leak-tight sliding connection between said rod and element, said leak-tight connection comprising a hub attached to said tubular element, having a packing recess therein, a hand wheel thereon and apart adapted to enter said recess and compress a packing therein.

6. A boiler tube cleaner, comprising a tubular cleaner element passing through the wall of the boiler furnace, a connection box in which said cleaner element is supported, and within which it may slide longitudinally, a conduitleading a cleaning fluid into said box, the element adapted to receive such fluid from within the box, and a support for said box, said support comprising pivotal connections on an axis transverse to said element around which said box may turn, whereby the element may be adjusted laterally in a fixed plane perpendicular to said. axis, and its lateral movement is confined to such plane.

. 7. A boiler tube cleaner, comprising a tubular cleaner element, passing through the wall of the boiler furnace, a box in which said cleaner element is longitudinally slidable, and a support for said box, said support jcomp'rising a plate pivotally movable on a vertical axis, said box being connected to said plate, whereby the element may be swung laterally to accommodate it to the tubes.

8. A boiler tube cleaner, comprisinga. tubular cleaner element, a steam box in which such element is longitudinally slidable, and a support for said box, said box bodily adjustable laterally on said support to accommodate the cleaner to the position of a space between rows of boiler tubes.

9. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a tubular cleaner element, a steam box in which such element is longitudinally slidable, a wall box adapted to be set in a boiler wall, asupport mounted on said wall box and supporting said steam box, the connections between said respective parts adjustable laterally, whereby the steambox may be laterally mountedin setting the device to bring the axis of the cleaner element into the plane of a space between rows of boiler tubes.

10. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a wall box adapted to be .set within an opening in a boiler wall, a tubularcleanerelement, a connection box in which said cleaner element is longitudinally 'slidable, pivotal connections between said connection box and said wall box, and fastening means providlng a lateral adjustment whereby said connection box may be shifted laterally in setting. i

' 11. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a fixed support adapted to be set within an opening in' a boiler wall, a tubular cleaner element, a connection box for said element and bracketsfor mounting said connection box having horizontally adjustable engagement with said support. 7

12. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a support adapted to be set in a boiler wall, a tubular cleaner element projecting through an opening in such wall, a connection box for said element in which the latter is longitudinally slidable, brackets connecting said box with said support, having horizontal slots, and fastenings uniting said box with said brackets, engaging said slots to permit of lateral adjustment of said box.

13. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a tubular cleaner element, a connection box in which said element is longitudinally slidable, a support adapted to be set in an opening in a boiler wall, a laterally adjustable connection between said box and said support, and a plate adapted to fit around said box and close said opening in the boiler wall to prevent leakage of air through said opening.

14. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a tubular cleaner element, a connection box in which said element is longitudinally slidable, said box having an internal chamber, a conduit for cleaning fiuid leading into said chamber, and said element having openings which in its operative position communicate with said chamber, packing means for preventing escape of fluid from said chamber outwardly around said element, and guiding means adapted to obstruct escape of cleaner fluid from said chamber in direction toward the interior of the boiler furnace.

15. A boiler tube cleaner comprising a tubular cleaner element adapted to pass through the boiler wall, a connection box separated from said wall through which said element is longitudinally slidable, a guide for said element comprising a rod entering it and upon which it slides, a hand wheel fastened to the outer part of said element, by which it may be slid longitudinally and rotated, and packing means within said hand wheel for preventing leakage of cleaning fluid from said element around said rod.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

FREDERICK W. LINAKER, THEODORE M. BRUBACK. 

